Welcome to the tenth edition of the #INspirEDearly Monthly Newsletter! This is a resource for early educators across all settings, administrators of Pre-K programs, and anyone looking for early learning updates from the Indiana Department of Education. We will be sharing resources, updates, research, events, and spotlighting work being done around the state. To subscribe to this newsletter, please visit our website. To see previous editions, please see our Newsletter Archive. Please share this newsletter with your network and colleagues!

We are pleased to announce that the final two content areas for the Early Learning Foundations Guidance have been completed and are posted on IDOE's Early Learning Website! We are incredibly grateful to our partners and the workgroup members who assisted in the creation of these resources.

Physical Health and Growth Guidance

Creative Arts Guidance

This information will be available in the Foundations Guidance Online Tool shortly.

We are on the road again this week for the Preschool Roadshow! We hope to see you at one of our stops this week! More information can be found here.

A smooth transition into kindergarten creates a foundation for children to build upon throughout the rest of their K-12 journey. When communities strengthen the connective experience between early learning and the start of kindergarten, they ease the stress of transition, setting children up for effective experiences. With that in mind, the Strong Start Community grant will fund Indiana communities to create and implement locally-driven transition practices. Applicants can learn more and apply at https://solutions.earlylearningin.org/strong-start-community-grant/ for this opportunity, funded through Indiana’s Preschool Development Grant. Submissions are due by December 20 at 5 p.m. to be considered. Winning communities will build and execute plans in 2020 and 2021 to give their kindergarten students the best possible start in their elementary journey.

IDOE has launched a Community of Practice (CoP) for Indiana administrators from public and private schools that have an existing preschool program or are looking to start one. A CoP is a group of people who share a concern, a set of problems, or a passion about a topic, and who deepen their knowledge and expertise in this area by interacting on an ongoing basis (Wenger et alt., 2002). IDOE seeks to build these connections to create dialogue around problem-solving, diffuse existing knowledge, generate new knowledge, and encourage learning through communication, mentoring, and self-reflection. If you are interested in participating, contact Pre-K Expansion Specialist, Sarah Parks-Reese.

We look forward to engaging with CoP Members on December 11! More details will be sent via email to CoP members. Topics will include funding streams so you won't want to miss it!

Check out this resource to determine if you meet the current requirements. Providers from all counties became eligible to apply on July 1. Public School Pre-K Coordinators or Administrators can contact Pre-K Expansion Specialist, Sarah Parks-Reese, for additional support.

Teacher Training for ISPROUT

Are you currently serving students being assessed with ISPROUT? Do you need training to record student skills and knowledge? Register here for a fully online course to become certified. This course is self-paced and will guide you through the ISPROUT tool, scoring protocol, practice in the ISPROUT dashboard and certification assessments. Questions can be sent to Felecia Jordan (fjordan1@doe.in.us).

Beginning Jan. 1, 2020, the Council will be celebrating 45 years of the CDA®! To celebrate, the Council will offer a limited-time CDA® Renewal Amnesty Program. This program will allow anyone with a CDA® credential expiration date as far back as January 1, 2010, an opportunity to complete the renewal process and make their credential active again. More information can be found here.

The T.E.A.C.H. Scholarship facilitated by Indiana AEYC will also support qualifying individuals in their renewals. More information about the T.E.A.C.H. scholarship and information on how to apply can be found here.

Kelly Blakely is a Developmental Preschool Teacher in Center Grove Schools. In her current role, Kelly serves as a teacher lead for the growing preschool program. She coordinates trainings for her team, serves as a member of the Preschool Assessment Team, mentors new teachers, and ensures curriculum continuity within the program. Kelly attends all initial case conferences for preschool students and strives to provide a welcoming presence for families as they enter the program. Kelly is passionate about working with young learners!

Kelly's colleague says, "Center Grove's Preschool Program has doubled in size from last year to this year. While growing pains are expected, Ms. Blakely has been able to support the staff and students so that the educational standard and fostering of growth are exceptional. With three new teachers to the district including two teachers new to the profession, the mentoring and problem solving that Ms. Blakely has provided has been invaluable. Students are the true beneficiary of the hard work! Ms. Blakely has also trained the entire preschool team in ISPROUT. While supporting the program, she is also a teacher in the classroom. In her classroom, she has individual work stations set-up for high-needs students to teach them the work habits to move beyond preschool and for life. She has a collaborative thought process that makes every student succeed. Ms. Blakely is a high-quality educator that wants every child to meet their personal best!"

Kelly, thank you for everything you do for young children!

We are hoping to spotlight an early educator or program administrator in our newsletter every month. Nominate your early learning colleague by filling out this form!

We'd like to thank everyone who took the time to complete the survey featured in our last newsletter. Some of the feedback we received indicated that educators would like more ideas to share with families on how they can support their child's learning at home and activities that could be featured in program newsletters. Featured in this month's "Resources We Love" are Family Engagement sites and resources that we would highly encourage you to consider! Also, don't forget to check out the Family Engagement sections in the Early Learning Foundations Guidance for simple ideas for families too!

Brighter Futures is a resource to support families in understanding and enhancing a child’s learning at home and while in care. This resource was created through a partnership between The FSSA Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning and Early Learning Indiana. This can be shared with families for even more strategies on how they can support their child’s development at home.

The CDC's "Learn the Signs. Act Early." has FREE research-based, parent-friendly resources on child development to help programs boost family engagement and professional development.

WFYI's Bright by Text is for parents and adults who care for young children newborn through age 5. When parents register for the service using their child's birthdate, direct text messages will provide developmentally appropriate information, activities, and more from trusted national and local resources.

HHS’s Office of Head Start, Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center has a series of eight training modules for early care and education providers on supporting children and their families who are experiencing homelessness. Learn the McKinney-Vento Homelessness Assistance Act's definition of "homeless" and best practices for working with partners and families, including conducting community outreach.

Thank you to all of the educators who joined us on November 15th! We appreciated the opportunity to support and engage with such a passionate group of educators at the Southern Indiana Education Center in Jasper, Indiana!

Pre-K Expansion Specialist

Email: sparksreese1@doe.in.gov
Website: www.doe.in.gov/earlylearning
Location: 115 West Washington Street, Indianapolis, IN, USA
Phone: 317-234-5719
Twitter: @sarahlee218

Early Learning Specialist

Email: krobinson2@doe.in.gov
Website: www.doe.in.gov/earlylearning
Location: 115 West Washington Street, Indianapolis, IN, USA
Phone: 317-232-0510